His Brother's Lullaby

I'm pretty sure I have the two sweetest boys in the whole wide world.  I know, I know, every mom thinks that about their kids.  And they totally should.  It's just that they're wrong and I'm right!  I'm kidding, of course, but there are moments-tiny glimpses-when I think it must be true.  That's usually the moment that reality comes crashing down around me, but for just awhile yesterday I was able to believe it. 

My boys and I were in the car on the way home (from Target, of course, where my mom thinks I should have designated parking because I'm such a frequent shopper...and I agree).  It was nearing Will's naptime and he was in his typical getting-ready-to-fall-asleep-in-the-car mode: pacifier in mouth with the handle flipped up so it rubs the tip of his nose (too cute, right?), arms straight down by his sides, and head on the side of the car seat with the thousand-yard stare.  Out of nowhere, 6-year-old Charlie starts singing "Shoo Shoo" to Will.   "Shoo Shoo" is the lullaby my mom sang to my brother and I when we were babies, and I sing to mine (she sings it to all her grandbabies, as well).  It's her adaptation of a Peter, Paul and Mary song.  I've successfully put both my children and many of my friends' kids to sleep singing it (only one friend's baby has ever been able to resist the sleep force of this song!)  After a few rounds of "Shoo Shoo," Charlie started singing "Amazing Grace" to Will.  This is my husband's lullaby of choice for our boys, and by age 3 Charlie knew 4 verses of it himself.  I was so overwhelmed by this tender moment of my older son singer to my younger son about the Amazing Grace of our God; our son who has, in fact, been saved by that grace since he made the decision at age 3.

 I prayed right then that Charlie would always be a shining example of God's grace to his little brother, that Will follows in Charlie's footsteps and accepts Christ as his Savior at a young age, and thanked Him that His promises are true.  That if we teach our children about Him in all we do, that it will become part of who they are.  I know there will be times when I almost can't see it, when I doubt whether our teachings have taken root, but those are the times I'll remind myself of when my baby was put to sleep by his brother's lullaby.